Big Rig Trucks in Europe

[nobb]

Originally Posted By: dustyroads

Not familiar with the Chinese trucks but I'm assuming they're heavily loaded up front. Here, we have twin steers with heavy haul trucks in some applications but I've never seen a Chinese truck.


Yea that's the word! Twin steer. I commonly saw Chinese semi trucks as twin steer up front, but still a single axle in the back. Alot of times I would even see standard single rear axle + single front axle trucks hauling seemingly the same if not more weight with this setup vs a typical North American truck with twin rear axles. That's why I'm wondering if maybe North American trucks are just over-designed due to our safety regulations or how we rate our vehicles?

 

[Old Mustang Guy]

Cabovers were the norm here in the U.S. for many years. Was the changeover to conventionals due to fuel economy? I wouldn't think the difference in aerodynamics would be significant.

 

[MNgopher]

To the folks arguing about maximum combination limits, is it so hard to say you are both right?

Trucks on the national network have no overall length limit.

States can regulate more strictly off that network - MN is 75 feet combined length. Any thing longer requires an oversize permit

 

[Silk]

We have a mix of both, but a COE is usually a better option with our axle loads and length restrictions. Not for driving around town, our roads have more corners. Most common rigs on the road will be a 3 axle tractor unit pulling a 3 or 4 axle semi with singles, or a B Train, which is a 4 axle truck pulling a 4 or 5 axle trailer with the turntable on the back of the semi. 18 speed paddle shifts are common. We are also evenly split on country or origin - Euro, US and Japanese trucks.

 

[FCD]

It would be a nightmare to drive one of those huge Peterbilts in Europe, even in Germany which is the country in Europe with the best and straightest roads

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: Shannow


http://www.roadtrains.com.au/shop


Back when the US had the Speed channel, they had a dangerous drives episode about this.

Pretty interesting stuff. I am sure it is still floating around online somewhere. That is where I watched it.

 

[dlundblad]

While i was in eastern europe about 6 years ago, I saw quite a few cab over dump trucks with 2 sets of turning wheels in the front.

Never say any semis looking back.

 

[weasley]

We have mostly cab-overs and it is down to maximum vehicle length. There are a few, rare, T-cab designs (what you might call "conventional") from Volvo and Scania which tend to be used to haul really heavy loads where length is less important than payload. But there are some pretty well-equipped sleeper cabs, even in a cab-over design. Axle and wheel configurations vary by application and load.

Most of our trucks are inline-6, with the V8s being rare beasts.

One other difference I have noticed between here and there is our trailers seems to have the axles further forwards than a typical US trailer, yielding a shorter wheelbase but longer rear overhang. Maybe this is for manoeuvrability?

 

[Silk]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
While i was in eastern europe about 6 years ago, I saw quite a few cab over dump trucks with 2 sets of turning wheels in the front.


Called a Chinese Six.

 

[SeaJay]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
I never understood completely why there are zero cabovers available in the US. I know a conventional truck would get better fuel mileage. But city deliveries would be much more convenient.

Well I guess there's yard trucks, but those generally don't go on the highway.


Back in the 1970's it seemed to me that a good percentage of the big rigs on the interstates were COE's which I believe were due to federal regulations of the overall length of the rigs. I think it was Ronald Reagan that relaxed the federal regulations for truckers in the 1980's. I think length of the overall rig was the main advantage of COE's.

 

[supton]

I thought COE was about shorter length / better in cities, but had a worse ride--sitting on the front axle rather than behind it. Hit a pothole and the shock goes straight up into you.

You were also first on the scene of an accident too.

 

[Alfred_B]

This is the kind of stuff I've seen in Europe.

 

[Jetronic]

Originally Posted By: nobb
So with the single axle, are the load carrying capabilities typically less on a European style truck?



88,000 lbs here. That's the national limit. Some countries allow more. The limit is due to road surface damage really.

 

[Jetronic]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
While i was in eastern europe about 6 years ago, I saw quite a few cab over dump trucks with 2 sets of turning wheels in the front.

Never say any semis looking back.


yes dump trucks can have more axles, and sometimes the rear axle also turns.

 

[EchoTech1945]

Speaking of turning - I've seen semis with the extra axles near the middle of the trailer. The wheels on that axle seem to turn on a sharp corner. I got a close look at one and it looked like a tie rod between the wheels on that axle. What makes them turn?

 

[dlundblad]

Originally Posted By: Silk
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
While i was in eastern europe about 6 years ago, I saw quite a few cab over dump trucks with 2 sets of turning wheels in the front.


Called a Chinese Six.

Here's a photo i took. No idea on the make. The exhaust smelled extrememly different that what a country dweller such as myself was used to.

 

[chrisri]

Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: Silk
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
While i was in eastern europe about 6 years ago, I saw quite a few cab over dump trucks with 2 sets of turning wheels in the front.


Called a Chinese Six.

Here's a photo i took. No idea on the make. The exhaust smelled extrememly different that what a country dweller such as myself was used to.

That should be a MB Actros or Axor.

 

[TiredTrucker]

The state thing would be true... regarding state a local roads. Interstate regulations are nationwide and apply to everyone. About the only thing the states have a say in on the interstate highways is bridge formula for distance from king pin to the rear axle group. Even many state roads, they have to allow reasonable access from the nearby interstate and federally controlled road network for trucks to pickup and deliver.

I have no dog in the hunt as to whether drivers should be paid hourly or not. I own and operate my own truck, so all I concern myself with is net profit at the end and how much time I have to put in to make it. An hourly thing sounds good on the surface, but there are always unintended consequences that usually come along with any regulatory stuff that would mandate that. And one thing for certain, everyone would see prices for what they buy go up.

 

[chrisri]

I have been around Euro trucks for whole my life , but only had one opportunity to see an American rig.

In early 90s dad bought a late 70s white MACK, three axle dump truck. It was DIFFERENT even if it was daytime COE. No idea how it made it to Europe, but IIRC it came from Belgium.
Still remember those white leather / fake leather upholstery and a Buldog. Very cool for a kid of 10.

Later from the conversations with my dad I found it was mechanically very different to what we are used to. It had very tall gearing, weak breaks and VERY light steering. It also had missive turbo lag, even for 80s standard. Once up to speed it would pull strongly.

He used truck for snow plowing, in these conditions truck used approximately 100L/100km. Similar Euro trucks were considerately more economical.

 

[xxch4osxx]

Originally Posted By: EchoTech1945
Speaking of turning - I've seen semis with the extra axles near the middle of the trailer. The wheels on that axle seem to turn on a sharp corner. I got a close look at one and it looked like a tie rod between the wheels on that axle. What makes them turn?
Look up SPIF regulations in Ontario. No more lift axles, they are all being transitioned to steering axles.